Moving Right Along

Purple Flowering Shrub to illustrate prayer "The Shrub"Find sample blogs on a gazillion topics at Alpha Inventions

The Shrub:
Prayer for a Happy Home and for Difficult Transitions

Glory be to you, Creator and Redeemer, Father-Mother of us all

It was as if I’d one leg that had put down
deep, good roots—the rest of me was flailing,
not in an endeavor to escape, No! but to stay
there, stay forever; not for freedom, but for
safety, so I did believe. “I can’t!” I cried. My
tears were shed to no avail, for they (the
gardeners) merely hauled me out, to plant me
in some other yard. I thought I’d die;
however, as it happened, though the roots
were bared and some were torn and I called
out in pain (while they pretended not to
listen, but I knew they cared), the roots ran
broad and shallow, and not deep at all, and I
can keep my foot and all my toes, it seems.

Red Clover to illustrate poem "The Shrub - Prayer for Happy Home and Difficult Transitions"

Well, they were not mean-spirited or so
unkind as just to leave me to the task and
drop me any-old-where; they asked, and I
said, “There, please.” There they stopped, and
sent me in with my valises, oh, so many! and
they went away. I didn’t mind so much,
although I wish it all had happened faster, for
I sit here yet with my belongings strewn at
random… nor do my legs, quite tender from
the struggle, function right. The touchy, easily
offended, mewling voice, in protest, whispers,
“This is wrong.” But it’s too late; I silence it.

Blue Sheer Curtain Window Toothbrushes to illustrate prayer-poem

My troubles found me, with that radar that
they have, and seemed to double in the
interim. But by your grace, O God, I shall win all
the little victories and overcome the obstacles,
with them, with the detritus, the unholy mess,
eventually, I’m not sure how, but I don’t need to
be… in you, there’s no uncertainty. This morning,
anyway, I hear a pair of cardinals calling to
each other, far away, then nearer, or else
bolder, and the sun is warm upon my hair, my
neck, my shoulders; it’s enough and more for
now.

Images: vnwallpapers.net
except as noted

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Little Mouse

Come Out of Your House

Come Out of Your House

Let us be bold today in the power of the Almighty. Amen

Sister Alma Rose Q & A

Dear Sister Alma Rose: I have fallen deeply in love and out of my comfort zone. I am not married, but my life was pleasant and cozy before I met this person. Should I sacrifice the certainty of a good life for the possibility of a thrilling one? Signed, Confounded in Connecticut

Dear Confounded: Sister Alma Rose cannot tell y’all what’s best for y’all. She usually advises people to follow their hearts, and their hearts don’t always lead them in the direction of passion and romance but rather, sometimes, to the serenity of the home fire. How well do y’all know yourself?

If it is fear alone that is holding you back… be fearless. Nothing is certain about the “certainty of [your] good life.” Only God can see around the corners. Y’all might be inches from heaven. Take the next step and see if the sky opens up.

...and Women Named Evelyn

...and Women Named Evelyn

Little Mouse,
Come out of your house
Into the chilly dawn
Where the lawn
is apple-green
And the earth is a-spin
And full of wisteria
And women named Evelyn
And men named Hans and Augustine
And places called Peoria
And Piccadilly.

The Day Wears On

The Day Wears On

What do you mean
You’re afraid
Of Mrs. Forrest, the silly
Little cat on Poplar Street
Who thinks you’re something
Fine to eat?
She’s slow and lazy
And spends her days
At ease doing nothing in the sun
Near a lovely Chippendale table
(In the morning)
And on a quilted counterpane
(In the afternoon).

The Earth Is A-spin

The Earth Is A-spin

Little One, if you’re able,
Spread out, Little Mouse,
Your lace handkerchief
And fly away
To Trinidad
Or Abergavenny.
The day wears on.
You can’t ever have it back again
once it’s gone.

Little Mouse, is your house
Just that hole in the wall,
Or is it the wide, wide world?
What happens in your small retreat
Where you hide with your biscuit and honey
And bit of cheese?

What Happens in Your Small Retreat?

What Happens in Your Small Retreat?

You come out, my funny
Mouse, you say,
Only once a day
To see if the Titans
Still hold up the skies.
My Mouse, you must
By now realize
That hollyhocks uplift the skies
And clouds ride on the backs
Of butterflies.

_________________

Illustrations by Kate Greenaway

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